Wolves of the Gods

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Leiria and Dario waved their wine cups and chorused-"Long live Queen Hantilia!"

Then Leiria whacked Safar on the shoulder, saying, "What do you think of Queenie, here?" She made curving motions with her hands, then winked. "Nice package, don't you think?"

Dario whacked his other shoulder, then leaned in, sloshing wine into his boots. "She likes you, me lord,"

he stage whispered. He hiccuped, covered his mouth, then said. "Couldn't help but-hiccup! — notice."

Safar smiled, then turned to Queen Hantilia. "Are they drunk or in your spell?" he asked.

"A little of both," the queen answered. She flicked up two talons-rather daintily, Safar thought, considering each was a curved ruby dagger six inches long. "First, you'll have to admit that the wine israther good."

She toasted Safar and drank. He eyed his own glass, cast a spell to search for ill intent, found none, and so he shrugged and drained his glass. It was delicious, as if all the fruits of the Valley of the Clouds had been turned into the rarest of wines.

"Ambrosia!" he sighed. He hooked the jug onto the table, asking, "Shall we have a little more?" She nodded, and Safar refilled their cups.

Leiria and Dario started sniggering and whispering to one another like excited children.

"Now that we have the drunk issue settled," Safar said, "tell me about the spell."

The demon queen shrugged, well rounded bosom lifting her gown most delightfully. "It's completely harmless," she said. "I just didn't want them to have to worry until I talked to you."

She gestured, saying, "The same with them." His men, hardened scouts all, were sprawled next to their horses, laughing and drinking wine served by giggling maids, many of whom were demons. They wore red robes like Hantilia's, although not as fine, also bearing the twin-headed snake symbol of Asper.

"Trust me, it's a harmless spell," she said. "Their troubles and worries have been momentarily interrupted.

That's enough to make anyone drunk-no wine required, my dear Safar. And I promise you there will be no ill effects when they awaken."

Safar glanced around and saw that other than the maids, the queen had no guards, no royal entourage. "I could lift the spell myself, your highness," he said, half-teasing, "and cast a few of my own. Then the tables would be turned. And it would be you and your servants who would be in my thrall." He smiled.

"I'd make it as pleasant as possible, of course."

Hantilia lifted a claw to her mouth, covering pealing laughter. It was quite musical, Safar thought. Strange that a demon should sound so melodious.

"But you are already in my thrall, my dear, dear Safar," she said, chuckling. "Haven't you noticed?"

Safar drank a little more wine, measuring his faculties as he did so. The queen spoke the truth, he thought. He sensed danger, but he felt cheerful about it. He found her company most … stimulating? And he was anxious to learn more.

"You're right," he said. "The wine is good. The spell is good. No harm intended."

Hantilia smiled. "And the company?" she asked archly. "Do you find that pleasant as well?"

Safar grinned, raising his cup. "It was boorish of me not to praise my hostess," he said. "Yes, I find the company most charming. Mysterious though she may be."

Hantilia held out a claw. "Come with me, Safar Timura, and all will be revealed." She gently took his hand and led him toward a shale outcropping bulging from the cliff face. "We'll start with Caluz."

Safar glanced down the caravan road. "I thought it was in that direction," he said, pointing. "Through the Caluzian Pass."

Hantilia shook her head. "That way was barred by the Guardians long ago," she said.

Safar puzzled. "The Guardians?"

"Those ghostly warriors who greeted you," the queen answered. She pointed at the many cave mouths that pocked the walls of the passage. "For generations the people of Caluz buried their mightiest heroes in those walls. They are called the Guardians because their ghosts protect the city from any who might come against her."

Safar made a face. "So they aren't harmless," he said.

"Not at all," Hantilia replied. "As you would soon have learned if your intent was other than peaceful."

Then without further ado she waved at the outcropping and Safar felt a jolt of magic. "Open," she commanded-and the rock face dissolved into a misty curtain.

"This is the new road to Caluz," she said. "In fact it's the only one. Even with the Guardians assisting us, we've had to close off the other pathways to defend ourselves from the nasty business going on these days."

For some reason this comment had a false note to it. But before he could consider further, she let go his hand and stepped through the mist, vanishing. Safar hesitated, glancing back at Leiria and Dario, who were still happily under the spell. He followed.

Safar felt a slight chill, then a tingling sensation and suddenly he was shielding his eyes from a bright sun.

There was a warm breeze carrying the scent of flowers and ripening fruit. His wizard senses were also pleasantly entertained with fragrant spells carried on gentle magical breezes.

"Once again, Lord Timura," Hantilia said, "welcome to Caluz!"

His vision cleared to be treated to a marvelous sight. They were standing at the crest of a road that curved down to meet a small, graceful valley. There were farms and fields and wooded hills nourished by two rivers that ribboned down from high blue mountains. On a bluff near where the rivers joined there was a beautiful city, all silver with a grand palace towering over the walls.

Below the castle was the Temple of Hadin-a huge stone turtle crouched at the end of a peninsula where the rivers met to form a single stream. The turtle was identical to the miniature idol that was home to Gundara and Gundaree down to the red painting on its back of a volcanic isle topped by a fire breathing demon. Blissful magic streamed from the temple, churning out spells of health, happiness and prosperity.

All in all Caluz seemed a wondrous place where birds always sang, butterflies sweetened the air and its inhabitants happily tilled the fields, tended the markets, or fished the rivers.

As he looked, the warning from the Spirit Rider rose up and he heard her whisper, "In Caluz, all is notas it seems. Look for the truth beyond the veil of lies."

"How perfect this world is," Safar said. And then he couldn't resist adding sarcasm: "The only thing missing is a fat pink cloud hanging over the rivers."

Hantilia grimaced. "I told them you'd ferret it out soon enough."

"I suppose the real Caluz is down that road you told me was barred," Safar said.

Hantilia frowned. "Yes, it is. I'm sorry I lied to you." She shrugged. "My priestesses and advisors were afraid you would turn back if you knew the truth. Immediately, that is. I assure you I had no intention of keeping it from you for more than a few days."

"You mean, until I had brought all my people here," Safar said. "All one thousand of them."

Hantilia sighed again. "Am I so transparent?" she asked.

"No," Safar said, "it's only that I've had much experience with royalty. Even when they have the best of intentions, kings and queens have a certain way of thinking. I merely followed that route."

He laughed. "Also, wouldn't I be fairly dim-witted if I didn't notice such things as the absence of certain large celestial bodies." He pointed to the bright blue sky. "Such as the Demon Moon." Hantilia said nothing. She only looked more embarrassed. "Finally," Safar said, "there's the machine itself." He pointed at the great turtle idol. "That is certainly not what's causing all the misery in the Black Lands."

"Actually, it is," Hantilia said. "Except what you are looking at is a manifestation of the real machine. A mirror image, so to speak. It's the result of a spell the Oracle cast just as Caluz was being destroyed."

She waved at the city and the pleasant valley. "As is all this."

"What of the original inhabitants?" Safar asked. "Such as the priests who asked my assistance long ago."

"They're all dead, it grieves me to say," Hantilia replied. "But you'll be pleased to hear a few of the former inhabitants escaped here. Into this false Caluz."

Safar perched on a rock, then took off his cloak and placed it on a flat spot next to him. He motioned to Hantilia. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable," he said, "and tell me the tale? From the beginning, if you please."

Once she was settled she said, "Just as I told you, I am Queen Hantilia and I really do rule here. I'm also chief priestess of the Oracle. But it wasn't always so. I am a pilgrim like you, Safar Timura. My kingdom was in a distant land, a realm so small and so peaceful that when Manacia was king of the demons he barely knew we existed.

"There, I was also the high priestess of the Cult of Asper."

"Pardon," Safar said. "I've never heard of such a thing."

"There are few of us," Hantilia replied, "but our origins go back very far." She nodded at the temple. "For instance," she said, "one of our myths is that Lord Asper discovered the magical properties of this place and set the forces in motion that led to the creation of the temple and the machine.

"But back to my tale. Scarce as we were, when the barrier fell between demon and human lands the way was opened for our religion to spread. Soon there were small groups like us all over Esmir. We mingled together, humans and demons, all in the spirit of Asper's teachings."

Hantilia blushed-her skin turning a deeper shade of emerald. "Some even became lovers. A few married. Fewer still managed to bring forth a child."

Safar's heart bumped. Hantilia saw his reaction and said, "You have one such child with you, I understand. The Oracle spoke of him."

"Yes," Safar said. "His name is Palimak."

Hantilia frowned. Then her brow cleared. "Ah, now I understand. It is in the Walarian tongue. Palimak means promise, does it not?"

Safar nodded. "Yes."

"A lovely name," she said. Then-"It is quite likely the child comes from just such a union as those I described. In fact it is impossible for it to be otherwise. And I'll tell you why.

"When the Demon Moon rose and ill befell the land many of us were forced to flee our homes because of sickness and starvation and evil things crawling out of the earth. My kingdom was one of the early victims and my people and I became refugees, wandering Esmir, finding our living where we could. The others of our cult did the same. Many did not survive. I suspect Palimak was the child of such a couple-demon and human-who met with misfortune during that time and he eventually came into your care. Someday you must tell me that tale."

Safar bit into the bitter memory of Nerisa and grimaced. "Someday," was all he said.

The queen saw his discomfort and steered her remarks past that desolate trail. "The day arrived when things were at their worst," she said. "I didn't know how I would find food and shelter for my people.

Then the Oracle appeared to me."

"The Oracle of Hadin?" Safar asked.

"The very one. You'll meet her soon enough. At least I pray you will agree to such a meeting. But to go on. The Oracle appeared and commanded me to make my way to Caluz. She said the fate of the world depended on it. I learned later she made many such appearances to members of our cult throughout Esmir.

"Soon all of us were streaming toward Caluz. Our strength grew as we came together and the journey was made easier because we no longer had to fear bandits. We arrived in Caluz just before it collapsed.

The city was in a panic because the Oracle was issuing dire warnings. But the Caluzians only became more hysterical with each passing day. And so all the things she urged them to do were left until it was too late."

Safar frowned, remembering the old Caluzian priest who'd told him his people were of that temperament.

"The last I heard," he said, "the city leaders were going to divert the rivers, which would effectively shut off the machine. It seemed like a good plan to me. What went wrong?"

"The Demon Moon," Hantilia said. "No one took its tides into account. At the time the plan did seem like an artful solution. After the dams were built and the new channels dug the machine fell silent for a long time. Then the influence of the Demon Moon became more powerful.

"The river tides began to rise, overflowing their banks. This went on day after day, the floods reaching higher each time. The people filled bags with sand and stacked them along the riverbanks trying to halt the flow. Finally the currents jumped back into their original courses and the machine returned to life. This time worse than before."

"I saw the Black Lands," Safar said. "I saw what the machine has done."

"As I said," the Queen continued, "the Oracle warned of the disaster all along. She'd urged a course of action, but only the priests listened. This is when I arrived in Caluz with my followers. And at the pleadings of the priests-and the Oracle's command-we did all we could to help construct her spell."

Hantilia paused, lines of sadness creasing her face. She wiped an eye with her claw, then said. "I have seen many things in my life. Horrible things. But the day we cast the spell overshadowed all the horrors I'd seen before. It is too painful a memory for me to recount.

"Suffice it to say, Caluz was destroyed and the priests all died nobly, staying until the end so the rest of us could escape."

She gestured at the lovely scene that was the false Caluz. "And we've been here ever since. Waiting for you."

Safar sighed. "What do you want of me?" he asked.

The Queen's eyes glittered. "Only to save our lives, Safar Timura," she said. "For without your help all of us will be dead within the month."

Leiria was mortified. Although her memory was hazy from the moment she met Queen Hantilia until the spell was lifted many hours later, she had flashes of seeing herself and Sergeant Dario behaving like two tavern sots.

"I don't like this," she said to Safar, who was riding beside her on Khysmet. "We're trusting everything to a complete stranger."

Safar chuckled. "You're only embarrassed," he said. "Don't be angry with Hantilia."

"I'm not angry!" Leiria snapped. "I just don't know the bi-uh, know anything about her. Oh, I understand the spells were the gentlest way she could handle us. And that certain things were done because the Oracle of Stupid Hadin wanted it that way. So I have nothing to hold against her. In fact, I quite like Hantilia. For someone I only met, that is."

She suddenly grinned at Safar, a devil's glint in her eye. "Although a certain friend of mine-who shall remain nameless, but whose seal bears the letters S.T.-seems to have gotten a great deal more out of that first meeting than I did."

"Ouch!" Safar laughed. "Come on. You're just jabbing at me to relieve your own frustration. Go back to being embarrassed. See if I care. You're right. You were a total fool and should be ashamed of yourself.

There. Chew on that, my sweet Leiria."

"You can't get off that easily," Leiria parried. "Admit it. You're attracted to her."

Safar blushed. "A little," he said.

"Even though she's a demon, right?"

Safar's reply was a muttered, "Right."

Leiria snickered. "Now you know how Palimak was made," she said. "First hand, or claw, or whatever."

Another mutter-"Whatever." Then, firm-"Do you feel better now, my dear Leiria? After putting me in my place?"

"Sure I do," Leiria said, eyes dancing with fun. "But what about you? And Hantilia? What do you intend to do about it?"

Safar squared his shoulders. "Nothing," he said. "Except note it as a curiosity of nature."

"Don't make me laugh," Leiria chortled.

"You are laughing."

"Well, who wouldn't?"

"All right! All right!" Safar snapped, switching moods with Leiria. "Let's talk about something else.

Something depressing and morbid like your premonitions of doom and betrayal."

"I didn't say that," Leiria retorted. "I only said we were trusting an awful lot to someone we don't know.

We're fetching the entire caravan to Caluz. Or whatever that place is. You say there's two of them, I'll take your word for it. Anyway, we're throwing ourselves on the mercy of these people." She shuddered, remembering. "And those … Guardians! I'll never forget how helpless I felt when I realized they were all ghosts. And they could hurt me, but I could do nothing to them!"

"Don't worry about the Guardians," Safar said, matter of factly. "I can take care of them."

"Sure you can, or at least I believe you when you tell me something like that. You're a mighty wizard, and all. But we'll still be outnumbered. They can overwhelm us at will."

"That's true," Safar said, "but you're forgetting something. They need me to stop the machine."

Leiria became angry. "I just don't want you to get killed, Safar!" she said. "That's all. What's down in that damned temple? Who is the Oracle? She could be the great devil queen of all devil queens, as far as we know. What if it's a trap?"

Safar started to laugh. "Thanks," he said. "I feel much better now."

"What are you talking about?"

"You just reminded me of the worst thing that could happen."

"You're damn right. Death is what could happen."

"No, the worst thing that could happen is that we'd be killed by Iraj."

Another laugh. "And can you imagine how angry he'd be if we died in Caluz before he could catch us? If I could see his face just as I died, I'd go to my grave a happy man."

"I never thought about it like that," Leiria said, smiling. "You're right. It does make you feel better."

They came to the top of a rise and reined in to let the others catch up. Some miles away they could see the caravan crawling across a barren plain to meet them. It was late afternoon-the worst time of day in the Black Lands-and the heat was intense, the air thick with sulfurous fumes from the distant volcanoes.

"At least the air is sweeter in Caluz," Leiria said. "They'll be glad of that."

Safar didn't answer and she turned to see him drawn up stiff, peering hard at the caravan.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," Safar said. He pointed. "But look at that crater. Just to the left of the wagons."

Leiria found the crater. Although large, it was only one of hundreds scattered across the plains. The road skirted them all, so after a time she'd grown used to their presence.

"I don't see anyth-" Something swirled in the entrance and she broke off.

Then the swirl became an immense cloud of bats flying out of the crater-rising in a thick column.

Leiria relaxed. "It's just the bats," she said. "They fly out every night about this time."

"It's … not … just … the … bats!" Safar gritted. Then he shouted, "Come on!"

As he charged down the long hill he had a flicker of memory of another such time. Iraj had been with him then.

Racing down the snowy pass to save the caravan.

Palimak was dreaming of the machine. He was asleep, almost in a stupor from the heat, and in his dream he saw the machine as a huge turtle, a gigantic clockwork toy with immense snapping jaws and it lumbered toward him on mechanical feet.

He jumped into a lake and made himself a fish and swam away. But the turtle came after him and its legs became like revolving oars and it churned through the water at an amazing speed. He swam faster, fast as he could, but the turtle got closer, closer, jaws snap snap snapping, snap-

"Wake up, Little Master!" came a voice. "Wake up!"

Palimak's eyes blinked open and he saw two small frightened faces hovering over his chest-Gundara and Gundaree.

"What's wrong?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"Can't you feel it?" Gundara said. "Something's watching!"

"And it isn't a very pleasant something, either," Gundaree added. He shuddered. "Kind of oily."

And that was it! Palimak could feel it, feel something watching, something big, something mean and something … oily! But thick. Real thick. And hot! How could it live and watch and be so hot?

"Let's go!" he said, jumping up.

The two little Favorites fled back into the stone idol. He pocketed it and leaped out the back of the slow moving wagon.

The Timura wagons were about half way down the long line, herd animals straggling behind the last wagons with boys driving them along. Beyond them was the rear guard. Perhaps twenty armed men. Up front-past the lead wagons-was another force of fifty. In between and along the both sides of the road, people and children walked, talking listlessly in the heat, burping babies, or flicking sticks at goats and llamas to keep them together.

Palimak stood in the road, letting them pass by. He turned, searching for the source of his discomfort.

Then he caught it. On the other side of the road!

He ducked under a camel, swatting its jaws as it tried to snap at him like that damned turtle. Oops!

Shouldn't say damned. It made Grandmother mad.

Then he saw the bats streaming out of the crater. He looked up at the huge black cloud swirling above the caravan. Normally the bats flew away. But this time they were staying in the same place! Millions of them!

"Is it the bats?" he asked.

Gundara's voice came from his pocket. "It's not the bats!"

" Definitely, not the bats!" Gundaree added.

"Quit repeating everything I say!" snapped Gundara.

"I wasn't repeating. I was emphasizing."

"Oh, shut up!"

"Don't tell me to shut-"

Palimak slapped his pocket. "If I get killed or something," he said, "you'd better learn to like oily stuff.

Because that's what your new master's going to be. Big and oily!"

"And hot," Gundaree said. "Don't forget hot!"

Palimak sighed, "Okay, he's hot! But where is he?"

Then he caught it. A filthy presence at the crater's edge. About fifty feet away. And he could feel it oozing out.

"There he is!" Gundara said. "We'd better get you out of here!"

"Lord Timura will kill us if we let something happen to you!" Gundaree added.

"What spell should we use?" Gundara asked his twin.

"I'd suggest running," Gundaree said. "We can think of one while we're running!"

"Good idea. Do you hear that, Little Master? Run! Run like the Hells!"

But Palimak was already running as fast as his little legs could go. But he wasn't running away. He was racing toward his Grandfather, who was driving the lead Timura wagon.

"Grandfather!" he shouted. "We have to get out of here!"

Khadji heard the boy and turned to see Palimak running toward him. "What's wrong?" he shouted.

Palimak twisted his arm to point, still running. "Back there! It's coming!"

Khadji jumped off and swept the child up. He was startled to see his eyes glowing fiercely yellow and he could feel the boy's sharp little claws biting into his arm.

"What's coming?"

Palimak calmed himself down, eyes flickering back to normal. "It's a great big magic thing, Grandfather,"

he said, spreading his arms wide as he could. "And it's going to get us all if we don't run."

He squirmed to be freed and Khadji let him go. He landed lightly on his feet, like a cat.

"Quick, Grandfather!" he shouted. "Sound the alarm!"

"Calm down, son," Khadji said. "Let's see what it is that's bothering you."

He looked around, saw the bats, smiled and looked down at the boy. "It's just the bats," he said. "They won't hurt us."

Palimak stamped his foot. "It's not the bats!" he snapped. He pointed at the crater. "It's in there. And it's coming out and you'd better blow the stupid horn!"

He saw his grandfather flush with anger and realized he wasn't getting through. To Khadji he was just a little boy who'd suddenly become very rude.

But there wasn't time to fool with that adult stuff. He didn't have time to argue or explain. He knew what he could do, suddenly felt the knowledge and power to go with it. Still he held back, reluctant to take action. This was his Grandfather, after all!

"Please, Grandfather," he said, "Please, please, please. Blow the horn!"

"I'm losing my patience with you, young man!" Khadji said in the tones adults used when they'd had enough.

"I'm sorry, Grandfather," Palimak said.

And then he cast the spell, right hand shooting out, claws uncurling from his finger tips, eyes glaring yellow.

Khadji twitched as the spell hit him, stiffening to his full height. He looked down on his grandson with fond eyes. Such a wise little boy.

"Please blow the horn, Grandfather," Palimak said as nicely as he could.

"Sure, son," Khadji said, a broad smile on his face. "Right away!"

Khadji jumped up on the wagon and grabbed the long warning horn that every family leader kept nearby at all times. He blew three blasts-the signal for everyone to go like the blazes and ask questions later.

Palimak knew this wasn't the best plan of escape, but it was all he could think of. Other horns picked up the warning and joined in the cry. People shouted, whips cracked, animals bawled, and the caravan surged forward at a much greater speed.

Khadji smiled and waved happily at Palimak as he drove the wagon away. The boy waved back, feeling very bad about what he'd done.

"All right, Little Master," came Gundara's voice, "so you don't like running. I hope you can think of something pretty quick."

"Frankly," Gundaree added, "we're out of suggestions."